Stone Soup author Shyla DeLand, 13, talks about how she writes from personal experience and the influence of her favorite authors. Sharing tips on making writing readable and easy for readers to visualise – accomplished through drafting and revisions – she talks about her relationship with Stone Soup as a reader and a writer. Four of Shyla’s stories have appeared in Stone Soup: “Fern, the Queen of All Hunting Dogs” (July/August 2011), “The Scarlet King” (January/February 2013), “As a Family” (July/August 2013), and “The Hero” (May/June 2014).

Here’s a list of the questions she answers in this video.

0:20 — How did you begin creative writing?

0:32 — What do you like to write about?

0:42 — Who are your favorite authors? What have you learned from them?

1:10 — Describe your writing process.

1:39 — Have you won any awards for your writing?

1:47 — How have your friends or family influenced your writing?

2:04 — How did you discover Stone Soup?

2:31 — What was your reaction to getting published in Stone Soup?

2:42 — What advice would you give to others who want to get published in Stone Soup?